Fake Bake Flawless

Yep, that’s right; I had not a single bit of patience and rushed right out to get the fake bake flawless spray, right after my post :0)  So far, I love it. I suspect it may be a tad too dark for my fair skin, but honestly, I don’t really care!

It comes with a pair of gloves and an application mitt which combined make it super easy to apply. You put the gloves on, then put the mitt on one hand and spray the product onto the mitt using your other hand. Next, you sweep the glove over the area you want to tan – it only takes about 4-5 sprays to cover the entire face and neck and maybe 10-12 sprays to cover feet and legs to top of thigh. I imagine that this bottle is going to last quite some time which makes it better value than most fake tans in the same price range. 

It dries almost instantly which is great, but I put it on at bedtime so I can’t vouch for what it would look like under make up. I suspect that it may be too dark – it’s scary dark when it first goes on, my other half was laughing his socks off when he saw me post application. It does come off on pillows/sheets etc, but washes out no problem.

The morning after, a lot of the tan washes off, but not quite as much as with St Tropez. I did worry (when I saw how little was washing off in the shower) that I would look way too tanned but I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped out – it looked as “natural” as a fake tan with a decent colour CAN look!

I would say the colour lasted the usual 4-5 days but the best thing about it was that it faded without becoming patchy. Oh, and it smells gorgeous – like coconut. It's a definate repurchase for me.

See below pictures of before, with the application, and after it's washed off.

(Photos taken from http://www.medizen.co.uk/Treatments/Display.asp?ID=24)

Olay Regenerist SPF 30 Flawless Skin Cream

Finally I got round to dipping into my Christmas book – “Don’t go to the Cosmetics counter without me” and was delighted to find a day cream (Olay)  with an SPF of 30 that was highly recommended. I’m always on the look out for a high SPF day cream that won’t feel too thick and greasy and clog up my skin. In fact, if it helps with shine and mattifies, all the better, as I must admit I have a bit of a “glow” going on in the T Zone usually by late morning!

I had a favourite – Dermalogica oil free matte SPF20 moisturizer. Not only did it mattify, it smelt gorgeous, kind of like a beach (yes really!), but alas they stopped making it. I now use Zenmed oil free SPF30 which I also love, but I can’t buy it in the UK, and have to order it online with crazy postage prices and a long wait for it’s arrival.

Not only does it claim to be fast absorbing and non-greasy, Olay regenerist SPF30 Flawless Skin Cream also promises to protect you from both UVA and UVB rays, whilst bringing you visibly younger and more even-looking skin with its amino-peptide complex. I was full of hope just reading it!

Good Points – the smell is divine, and the cream has a beautiful texture and smooths on like a dream. It does sink into the skin well and doesn’t feel too greasy. Foundation seemed to go on well over the top although I could feel that it wasn’t completely matt. The bottle is a nice size, pretty looking, with a handy pump dispenser.

Bad Points – Price – its £29.99 a bottle. I was also surprised to read a couple of the Boots.com reviews that said they found it non-greasy but then I think there was a mention of dry skin – for me I could feel the difference between this and my usual matt moisturizers within an hour or so. My foundation started to do that awful “gathering” thing and looked and felt like a layer of war paint. Eeeurgh!

The conclusion for me unfortunately is a resounding no good, but I do have to say that it might work for someone with dry skin. There are many days (mostly when a big pimple makes an appearance) that I wish I had that particular problem, but I guess the grass is always greener eh!